Bustle



' (No Model.)

C. C. SHELBY.

. BUSTLE. No. 374,632. Patented Deo. 13, 1887..

771thasses NV PETERS. Phalo-Lnhogmphur, Wnshnginn. D. C.

a series of hoop-reedsfor distending the over- UNITnD STATES PATENT Ormea.

CHRISTOPHER C. SHELBY, OEPATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374.632. dared December 13, 1887.

Application tiled October 15, 1887. Serial No. 252,468. (No model.) y

To @ZZ whom. it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. SHELBY, of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustles; andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming va part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon. A

The present invention relates to certain improvements in that class of bustles employing hanging dress, adapted to be collapsed or swung upward against the person when pressure is brought to bear upon them-as, for instance, when the wearer is seated.

It has for its object to provide an efficient means for opening the collapsed ribs, and to this end it consists in an improved spring, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out particularly in theclaims at the end of this specilication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a bustle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the spring applied to the inside. Fig. 8 shows the bustle in collapsed position.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts. i

In the form of bustle shown in the drawings the hoop-reeds A are hinged to the main reed B, their downward movement being limited bythe strap or flexible connection C, connecting the center of each of the bows to the top of the main reed. The width'of the bustle may be adjusted by the lacing connecting the ends of the mainreed, which is preferably of spring material, in order that the tendency oi' the ends may be to separate and keep the laclng taut. Hinged, preferably, to the lower hoop-reed is a long spring bow or reed, D, passing up outside of the hoop-reeds A, as shown inv Fig. l, or else inside the same, as shown in Fig. 2, the center4 ofthe bow being also connected to the strap C, usually at about the same distance from the main reed as the distance between them at the bottom. YAt about midway between the ends and the top of bow D the two ends are connected together by lacing E, which, in order to give more play to the spring, is preferably elastic, although this, asV will be readily seen, is not absolutely essential. The center of the bow, besides being connected to the strap C, is held down at this point by a lacing, F, connecting it with the main reed at each side.

In use, when the hoop-reeds are collapsed, as before mentioned, the spring-reed D will be forced up at either side intobows b, (shown in Fig. 3,) and in this position-the said bows b will bear a portion of the superimposed dress, which, when the pressure is relieved, will assist in returning the bustle to proper or open position, the spring forcing the bottom hoopi they may be varied considerably without departing fromy the spirit of my invention. For instance, the spring may be made of other material than metal and the lacing connect` ing its center with the main reed at the sides may be entirely done away with, the strap C being relied on to hold it down at this point; or it may be connected directly to the main reed at the center.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a bustle, the combination, with the main reed and series of flexibly-connected collapsible hoop-reeds hinged to the main reed, of aspring connected to one of said hoopreeds at each side and extending upward in a bow,

said spring being centrally connected to the main reed to prevent its expansion at the center, its sides being free to expand when the hoop-reeds are collapsed, substantially as described. y

2. In 'a bustle, the combination, with the main or supporting reed and series of flexiblyconnected collapsiblehoop-reeds hinged to the 4 main reed, of a spring connected to one of said hoop-reeds at each side and extended upward in a bow, which is centrally connected to the Ico main reed to prevent its expansion at the center, its sides being free to expand when the hoopreeds are collapsed, and a lacing connecting the sides of said spring, substantially as described.

3. In a bustle, the combination, with the main or supporting reed and series of ilexiblyconnected collapsible hoop`reeds hinged to the main reed, of a spring connected to one of said hoopreeds at each side and extended upward in a bow, which is centrally connected to the main reed to prevent its expansion at the center, its sides being free to expand when the hoopreeds are collapsed, and an elastic lacing connecting the sides of said spring, substantially as described.

4. In a bustle, the combination, with the series of iieXibly-connected collapsible hoopreeds and main reed, to which they arehinged,

of a spring connected to one of said hoopreeds,

extended upward in a bow, and lacing con- 2o lapsible lhoop-reeds hinged to the main reed, z 5

of a springconnected to the outside of one of said hoop-reeds and extending upward in a. bow, lacing connecting the center of said bow and the main reed for preventing the expansion y of the center of said bow, and lacing connect- 3o ing its sides, substantially as described.

CHRISTOPHER C, SHELBY.

Witnesses:

S. VAN ZANDT, L. K. OsBoRN. 

